France, request Kosovo/ Suspend "immediately" the decision on the dinar

2024-02-02 22:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

France, request Kosovo/ Suspend "immediately" the decision on the

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France has called on Kosovo to "immediately" suspend the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK), which authorizes the use of the euro as the sole currency for cash payments throughout the country.

"France is worried by yesterday's entry into force of the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo", said the French Ministry on its website.

The new CBK regulation, which ends the use of the Serbian dinar in the country, entered into force on February 1, despite calls from the international community to postpone the implementation deadline.

"This decision, taken urgently, will have consequences in the daily life of the Serbian community in Kosovo, which mainly depends on the payments made in Serbian dinars from Serbia", said the French Ministry.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, has pledged that an easy transition will be ensured.

But France said on Friday that "in the absence of alternative solutions so far, France calls for the immediate suspension of this measure, in order to ensure a sufficient transition period".

She echoed the calls of the United States and the European Union for the Kosovar authorities to find a negotiable solution within the dialogue mediated by the European Union on this issue.

In the Serbian-majority municipalities in Kosovo, the Serbian dinar has been circulating since the post-war period.

The Serbian state pays Kosovo Serbs - through a parallel system - salaries, pensions, social assistance, and other benefits.

The Law on Local Government Finances in Kosovo allows the sending of financial aid from Serbia.

Earlier on Friday, the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vu?i?, said that the decision of the Kosovo authorities to cancel the Serbian dinar is an attack on all agreements signed since 1999, and that Serbia will find institutions that will receive licenses for it. enabled the sending of money to Serbs in Kosovo.

"In each of those acts, it is Serbia's right to finance certain activities, health, education, pensions," Vu?i? said on Friday in a press conference.

He announced that Serbia will seek a solution on how to send the money to the Serbs in Kosovo.

Vucic has warned that on Monday next week, Serbia will continue to send dinars to Kosovo through a "licensed and authorized carrier, the British company Henderson, in accordance with the laws".

The Kosovo authorities have said that they hope to reach an agreement between the CBK and the People's Bank of Serbia to reach an agreement on payments to Serbs in Kosovo.

However, Vucic rejected this possibility.

"We will find a solution. If necessary, we will find private banks that will get licenses anyway, we will find solutions to distribute money to our people".

According to him, the People's Bank of Serbia will adhere to the law and that Serbia will provide information on the final decision on this matter, but "the priority will be the transportation and sending of money to Kosovo."

Among other things, Vucic has warned that Serbia will request an urgent session at the United Nations Security Council on Monday, February 5.

The head of CBK, Ahmet Ismaili, mentioned financial integrity as the main reason for implementing the regulation a few days ago.

According to him, the decision protects Kosovo "from counterfeit money, from the financing of terrorism, from the use of currencies that are not original".

Others mention fiscal evasion, in the absence of control over the dinar.

Serbian citizens in Kosovo will have to open accounts in commercial banks that are licensed by the CBK.

The Serbian state can send them the money in dinars, but they must be converted to euros along the way./ REL